Elizabeth "Pam" Schwartz

Elizabeth Ann (Pam) Schwartz, age 88, passed away peacefully at her home on Saturday, August 1, 2020, in Donna, Texas while surrounded by her husband, Rodney and her four daughters. Pam had been ill since June 10, 2020, and returned home for hospice care provided by her family and Allstate Hospice.

Pam is survived by her loving husband, Rodney (Rod) Paul Schwartz and their children: Sarah (Sally) (Richard Listerud) Strandemo; Shari (Jeff) Denniston; Steven Schwartz; Patricia (Trish) (Tom) Jones; Deborah (Debbie) (Tom) Urban; Kathryn (Kit) White; and Kristin (Mike) Harrison; grandchildren: Alizabeth (Keegan) McJames; Thomas (Kirsten) Jones; Virginia (Gina) Wait; Andrew Jones; Jack Hufford; Sarah Jones; Sarah Hufford; Tara Hufford; Christine White; Mitchell White; Andrew Harrison; and Jake Harrison; great-grandchildren: Tierney McJames; Parker Wait; Beckett McJames; and Ellary Jones; sister Patricia (Pat) (Susan Harris) Teiken; niece, Melinda (Lindy) (Dale Anderson) Teiken; and nephew, Christopher (Chris) (Michelle McCullough) Teiken.


Pam was preceded in death by her parents, Clayton Leon Carver and Sarah (Sally) Agnes Thompson Carver; her brother, Clayton (Sonny) Carver; and son, Scott Schwartz. Born in Tracy, Minnesota, on May 8, 1932, Pam grew up in Wadena, Minnesota. Pam graduated from Wadena High School in 1950. Her first jobs were babysitting and detasseling corn. Pam also worked for Northwestern Bell as a telephone operator and then for Hartz grocery store. While living in Bloomington, Minnesota, she received her real estate license and sold real estate in both the Twin Cities area and later in Battle Creek, Michigan, where she was president of the Board of Realtors before retiring to Donna, Texas.

Pam was very creative, fun-loving, and compassionate. She loved to entertain for her many friends and family, including cocktail parties, piñata parties and scavenger hunts. She enjoyed playing games, especially bridge; was a voracious reader; loved cooking; took pleasure in watercolor painting; was active in clown ministry; loved to talk about current events and was a true ambassador for social justice. Pam and Rod traveled extensively over their many years together, including Hawaii, Alaska, Israel, Europe and Mexico. Passionate about her faith, Pam practiced it in words and deeds. While living in Texas, she was active in the Weslaco First United Methodist Church as a lay minister, Bible Study leader, and organizer of the Backpack Project.

Memorials may be sent to Weslaco First United Methodist Church for Children’s Mission in Mexico.